A target earning of US$6.5 billion, up 5% from this year, has been set by Vietnam's General Department of Fisheries from seafood exports in 2012.

The fisheries sector revealed the target at a conference on its 2012 tasks, in Hanoi on December 21. The sector will also strive to attain a total seafood output of 5.37 million tonnes next year.

To promote its reputation and fulfil export targets, the sector will take firm measures to ensure compliance to the Vietnam Good Agricultural Practice (VietGap) in order to meet requirements on food hygiene and safety, traceability, breeding environment and biodiversity protection.

In addition to traditional markets like the US, Japan and the EU, the sector will expand exports to markets with great potential, such as the Republic of Korea and China.

It will encourage businesses to link up with farmers to form large-scale concentrated seafood areas in order to ensure material supplies throughout the year.

The General Department of Fisheries will build long-term plans on trade and investment promotion activities and implementation of cooperative seafood agreements, especially with ASEAN and African countries.